Internal-combustion engine



R. M. GASTON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENG|NE.- APPLICATION FILED lULYIT,1919.

1,351 ,950. I PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

Ira/271,137":

Gasfbw UNITED STATES RALPH' M. (:rAS'JJOlI; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed July 17,

T 0 all to/zom it may concern:

e it known that I, RALPH M. GAs'roN,.a citizen of the United States,residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of. lllinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-CombustionEngines, of which the following is a speci iication. v r

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and has referencemore particularly to improvements in what are known as air-cooledengines, which dispense with the usual water jacket, and employ radiallyprojecting ribs or fins on the cylinder casting to maintain thetemperature of, the cylinder at a working point.

One of the principal impediments to the successful operation ofair-cooled engines has been the rapid deterioration of the valves andvalve stems, and more particularly the exhaust valves. and their stemsfrom the high temperatures to which they are subjected. Most of'thedesigns of aircooled engines heretofore used give poor flexibility ofcontrol on account of'poorly fitting valves and valve stems, which isthe natural result of excessively hightemperatures in these parts. Thiscondition has usually existed even when the pistons were well lubricatedand operated in a normal manner.

Gne object of this invention is to provide an improvement in thenature'of a cooling.

feature for the valve stems.

It is also desirable in the interest of increased eiiiciency andreliability of operation to maintain not only the valve stems but theiroperating parts in as. cool a condition. as possible; and a furtherobject of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the valveactuating devices are housed in a casing which is entirely inclependeutof the cylinder walls and permits free air circulation between thecylinder or cylinders and. the housing. Y

In the accompanying drawing, which isa vertical cross section through acylinder, the crank case, the valve rocker casing, the exhaust valve,and the intake and exhaust manifolds, I have illustrated one embodimentof my present invention which, in practice, has been found tosatisfactorily fulfil the above-stated objects.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates the crank case, and 6 a cylindersecured thereon by a screw 7 and a clamping plate 8, said Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 311,498.

cylinder having the usual radially projecting ribs or fins 9 commonlyemployed on air-cooled cylinders. \Vithin the cylinder is the usualpiston 10 connected by connectng rod 11 to the crank shaft 12. Extendmgthrough the crank case is thecam shaft 13 carrying the usual valveactuating cams, one of which is shown at 14 engaged with the lower endof a rocker arm 15 mounted on a pivot shaft 16 above the crank case. Theupper end of the rocker arm 15 carries an adjusting screw 17, the headof which is engaged with the outer end of the stem 18 of. the exhaustvalve 19. The valve stem is slidably' mounted in a sleeve 20 that isfitted horizontally in an opening in the cylinder head and extendswithin hole 21 formed in the body wall ofthe valve rocker casing 22,this latter being mounted on the crank case 5 and spaced some distancefrom the cylinder 6 and secured by screw and the clamp 8. The valve 19is normally .held upon. its seat by a spring 24E located within thevalve rocker casing and confined between the wall'22 and an abutmentdisk 25 onthe outer end of the valve stem 18. A cover 26 is detachablysecured to the main body of the valve rocker casing b screws 27.

Above the cylinder head extend the intake manifold 28 and the exhaustmanifold 29, these being secured in place by a yoke 30 and clampingscrews 31, it being understood that in multiple cylinder practice thecylinders are located side by side as usual. and the intake and exhaustmanifolds extend lengthwise of and above the group.

Surrounding the valve sleeve 20 is a sleeve or collar 32 that is. formedwith a series of laterally projecting ribs or fins 33 similar instructure and function to the cylinder ribs 9. These cooling devices,are preferably applied to both the intake and exhaust .valves which, inthe organization shown,

lie side by side in parallel alternating relation; but their valueexists chiefly as an adjunct of the exhaust valve since it is theoverheating of the latter that gives the most trouble in air cooledengines. By providing such a cooling device for the valve stems,overheating of the latter is prevented and they are maintained in goodoperating condition.

It will be further noted that between the valve rocker casing and thecylinder there is an open space for the free circulation of air betweenthese parts, which not only keeps casing. V

portance where the collar 32 15 made of is obtained with high gradewater cooled engines.

It will further be observed that the valvestem guide, comprising, in theinstance shown, the sleeve 20 and collar 32, completely bridges thespace between the cylinr.

der and rocker casing, lying intight surface contact with both so thatit not onlylradiates heat but also conducts a considerable portion ofthe cylinder'heat to the'rocker This is of maximum value and imaluminumor other metal of high heat conductivity.

In the cylinder head is the usual tapped opening .34 to accommodate aspark plug and also a tapped opening containing a plug 36 lying oppositethe valve 19, to facilitate application and removal of the valve. Thesefeatures, however, are oldand well known.

lVhile I have found that the specific organization and arrangementherein shown and described works well in practice and fulfils the statedobjects of the invention, it will be manifest that the arrangement mightbe considerably varied without detracting from the efficiency of thevalve stem cooling means and the free aircirculation between thecylinderand the valve rocker casing. Hence I do not limit the inventionto the particular organization and arrangement shown, except to theextent indicated in specific claims.

1. In an air cooled internal combustion engine, the combinationof anengine cylinder, a valve rocker casing located laterally opposite to andspaced from said cylinder, a valve stem guide extending between saidcylinder and rocker casing and in contact with both whereby it serves toconduct heat from said cylinder to said rocker casing, heat radiatingfins on the circumference of said guide, and a valve stem mounted insaid guide. I

' 2. In an air cooled internal combustion engine, the combination of anengine cylanda collar surrounding said guide sleeve valve rocker casing,and a valve-clo and formedon its circumference with heatradiating fins,said collar at its ends lying in contact with said cylinder and casing,whereby said guide sleeve and collar both serve to conduct heat fromsaid cylinder to said casing.

3. In'an air cooled internal combustion engine, the combination of anengine cylinder, a valve rocker casing spaced from said cylinder, aguide sleeve bridging the saace 7O betweensaid cylinder and rockercasing, a valve stem mounted 'in said guide sleeve, and a collarsurrounding said guide and formed'oii its circumference with heatradiating 'fins, said collar at its ends lying in contact with saidcylinder and. easing, whereby said guide sleeve and collar lit/ill serveto conduct heat from said cylinder to said casing. r

4. In'an air cooled internal combustion engine, the combination of asupport, a cylder and valve rocker casing, and a valve stemslidablymounted in said sleeve and having its outer end disposed within sa dspring surroiuiding the portion of said. valve stem lying within saidvalve rocker casing.

5. In an air-cooled internal coinijaistion engine, the combination of acrank ca. e, a cylinder mounted on said crank case, a valve rockercasing mounted on said crank case at one side of and spaced from said cin der, a valverocker in said casing, a valve in said cylinder havingits stem extending between said cylinder and valve rocker casing, and amember surrounding said v: I stem and formed with heat radiating ribs orfins. i V

6. In an air-cooled internal combustion engine, the combination of acrank case, a cylinder mounted on said crankcase, a valve rocker casingmounted on said crank case at one side of and spaced from said cylinder,a valve rocker in said casing, a valve sleeve extending between andsupported by said cylinder and valve rocker casing. a valve stemslidably mounted in said sleeve, and a collar surrounding said sleeveand formed with heat radiating ribs or fins.

